The big question about "Watchmen" isn't who will watch the Watchmen but if more than fans will watch "Watchmen". Sometimes you have to let go a bit to enjoy life. The same could be true of watching a film based on another medium; it doesn’t matter whether the project is based on a novel or a crossword puzzle the source of the inspiration probably wouldn’t work if it was adapted for the screen in exactly the same way because you’re dealing with a different medium even if that medium is the graphic novel. Based on the comic book written by Alan Moore and illustrated by Dave Gibbons, “Watchmen” altered the landscape for comics taking them to the level of literature in a profound and thoughtful way. Set on alternative Earth where Richard Nixon is STILL President, it’s 1985 and a celebrated group of superheroes now retired and rejected by those they “saved” find themselves being hunted. After the brutal murder of former crime fighter The Comedian (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), Rorschach (Jackie Earl Haley in a virtuoso performance) becomes paranoid that someone is out to kill the “Masks” . Just because he’s paranoid doesn’t mean that someone isn’t out to get them as he discovers that his superhero collegeus Doctor Manhattan (Billy Crudup) a man losing touch with his humanity when he is altered in an experiment gone awry, Night Owl (Patrick Wilson), Ozymandias (Matthew Goode) and Silk Spectre (Malin Akerman) the other crime fighters that were part of the Watchmen and that knew the Comedian are drawn (pardon the pun) back into their retired alter egos to help discover why the Comedian was assassinated and by whom. All of them have had trouble adjusting to a life before crime so to speak and the temptation to resume their former activities is great (except for Rorschach who, in spite of the law forcing the Watchmen to abandon their vigilante activities continues to fight crime in his own way because of his damaged psyche). ***

First up you should be aware this is rated R. It deserves the rating and children under the age of 16 wouldn’t be appropriate. The film has graphic violence, nudity, a sex scene and Dr. Manhattan’s dong hanging out part of the time in the film luckily it’s never erect. ***

Zack Snyder’s film captures the epic look of Moore and Gibbons work and the cast, on the whole, also do a credible job of capturing the essence of their characters. The failings of some of the cast to make you feel they embody some of the characters has more to do with condensed nature of the film; Snyder struggles to squeeze a complex, convoluted narrative into a 2 hour and 40 minute film and does so admirable. Sure, some characters are given short shrift and some are conpicous by their absence but that doesn’t damage the work of Moore and Gibbons—their work still stands, still exists and is as isolated as Snyder’s work in the film. All of that said, I found “Watchmen” to be a good movie that could have been great if Snyder had curbed his instinct to go for the laughable sex scene between two characters and other moments that distract from the story. Overall, Snyder’s instincts are largely on target for a source that was considered largely impossible to make into a film (he also squeezes in an homage or two to Ridley Scott, “The Outer Limits” and George Miller among others). Snyder deftly navigates a narrative that positively overflows with detail. If any film was made for the home video age, it’s “Watchmen” which Snyder plans on expanding and including subplots that had to be cut for the theatrical version of the film. ***

If you’re a fan of the original graphic novel you’ve probably already seen the film and know that the script does depart from the original graphic novel at times (and “Tales of the Black Freighter” is missing completely BUT will show up on the DVD/Blu-ray release of the film) but the plot with its twists and turns in time (which would amuse Dr. Manhattan if he really existed since past and present intermingle throughout the film to give us the back story of the pivotal characters Rorschach, Dr. Manhattan, Silk Spectre and the Comedian) does drag a bit in the middle. The main plot involving the murder of the Watchmen is actually pretty easy to figure out although other plot points will keep you on the edge of your seat. *** One unanswered question—couldn’t they get someone to do a better make up job on Robert Wisden who looks like he’s wearing a rubber Nixon mask in the film? This may be an alternate universe but I don’t think Nixon would look he would bounce if he hit the pavement face first. ---

Image & Sound:

Why am I tackling this subject in a theatrical film? Because presentation is important for epic films like this but, more importantly, it for a project like this it IS the thing. Snyder manages to capture Gibbons visual sense often replicating and expanding on panels that existed in the original graphic novel. If Snyder is heavy handed in any area, it’s with the selection of music used in service of the film. It often seems like Snyder is serving the needs of marketing with the selection and placement of the music in the film. Some of it seems legit and it often sounds quite stunning (the use of Dylan during the title sequence works quite well). ---

Final Words: